I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to apparatus for treating waste water, aerating ponds, and for eliminating the buildup of fats, oils, greases found in pump lift stations, wet wells and grease interceptors encountered in water treatment facilities, and more particularly to a compact device for increasing the oxygen content of water and for simultaneously pulverizing organic solids that may be present in the water being treated.
II. Discussion of the Prior Art
In the McGuffin U.S. Pat. No. 7,963,508 there is described an apparatus for aerating liquids and for enhancing digestion of solid organic materials present therein by microbial action. The device serves to pulverize organic solids into micron sizes, allowing bacteria to more readily process the material. The apparatus comprises and elongate tubular housing have a solid, preferably heavy, base to anchor the housing in a vertical disposition within a pond or vessel in which the water to be treated is contained. The housing has three inlet ports spaced 120 degrees apart near the base and an open top. Positioned over the open top is a circular manifold comprising a plurality of concentric ridges. An air feed conduit is centrally disposed within the housing and extends from the base upward through the manifold where it is adapted to be connected to a source of pressurized air. The air feed conduit includes a plurality of apertures through a wall thereof at a location offset from the bottom end thereof, just above the three inlet ports. To stabilize the air feed conduit, three walls or partitions extend between the air feed conduit and the interior wall of the tubular housing, effectively dividing the housing into three chambers, each encompassing one of the three inlet ports.
When air, under pressure, is applied to the upper end of the air feed conduit, bubbles are created in the water in which the device is submerged and the rising bubbles create a Venturi effect to draw water into the housing through the inlet ports. The air increases the oxygen content of the water and as the flow exits the open top of the housing, it is made to impinge on the stepped concentric edges on the manifold to break up organic solids present in the waste water.
As is explained in detail below, the present invention is similar in many respects to the McGuffin device described above, but various non-obvious and novel modifications have been incorporated into the preferred embodiment of the present invention to improve the efficiency, reduce the cost, prolong the useful life and lower the maintenance cost when compared to the McGuffin apparatus.